Saw Metro last week. Very well made movie, the effort on the part of the director Anurag Basu is commendable, he has made his characters look believable and close to life. Only if the director was gracious enough to accept that he has copied a very famous play of National School of Drama. Throughout the story of Sharmaan Joshi and Kangana, I kept clutching my fist in anger. I could not believe how a director of his stature could copy frame to frame and to top it all, accept the critical acclaim. Refer to his recent interview given after the successful release of Metro:
http://in.movies.yahoo.com/070427/24/6f2fr.html
Excerpts from the interview: “On questioning him about his earlier films that were more or less a copy of English films he says 'agar main ab copy karoonga toh Meri biwi maar degi' he further explains saying "I could not help making copies as I was asked to make them. Murder though was a copy of English film Unfaithful, I took up writing in my hand with that film and tried to make it different." – Anurag Basu in an interview.
One of my favourite plays, Shortcut directed by Ranjit Kapoor, NSD Repertory, is a better version of Sharmaan and Kangana’s story. It is a wonderful play with soulful music and amazing artists. This play can put any hindi movie to shame, in terms of songs, acting, and story. Every year, we wait for this play to be shown in the Summer Theatre Festival, NSD, Delhi. It is truly sad to see how people steal stories and bask in the glory of the success of the movie, without feeling guilty or ashamed.
The least Anurag Basu could have done was accept that he has taken the story instead of snatching the credit from the talented director of NSD, Ranjit Kapoor. Wonder what Anurag’s wife would be thinking now?
Shortcut was shown in the present Summer Theatre Festival also on May 31st, June 1st and 2nd.
Log on to http://nsd.gov.in/nsd_fesrep1.htm for more details.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
My recent blog template may look vibrant, but no great shakes on the side of posts. I have decided I am going to ramble and ramble more. If you have a feeling that this post is utter crap, in all likelihood it is. Ipshi, anoosha, josie...you guys better read it, it is your punishment of leaving me alone here in LB. I dnt have you guys around me to vent out, so read on.
Past one month has been hectic, crazy, back-breaking...working at a stretch for 17.30 hrs without breaks has crossed my every past record. I would have been a rocket scientist if I had studied so much in my school days. But know what, I don't regret it, I enjoyed every bit...actually that would be an unfair exaggeration, but the point is, I did enjoy myself. I liked creating the course, loved looking at the final product, had a great team and a good project manager (which is rare!!!). Hope I am not speaking too soon.
Lots of work meant less time at home and more opportunity to either make friends or lots of enemies in office. I made a few friends and one enemy. But I still don't feel close to anyone here, there is this strange vacuum and I don't feel good about it. I have got a bad habit of having grt friends around me. I miss all of them. When I am not working, I get into this self created shell and feel extremely lonely. I get hyper and lose my temper becoz there is nobody here who knows what is bothering me, who can calm me down. Lots of them to talk generally but nobody to share my feelings with. Guess I need a brk immediately…sigh!
Have decided to clean up my almirah this weekend, hopeful as ever! Got my hair coloured, globally, not very different from my natural hair colour, just added shine and slightly brown. Planning to get streaks done on my hair this weekend…hope she does a good job. A shoddy job with blonde highlights would be a nightmare, keeping my fingers crossed.
Yuv is finally going back to London. I am happy for him. He needs to get back there soon, this climate and the hard floor is not doing him any good. He keeps falling down and bumping his head, he's used to the carpeted floors and wooden walls. We are scared for him, he looked like a happy healthy kid a month back. He looks all dented and tired and cranky now. Funny for us maybe, he doesn’t know how to handle mosquito bites, he keeps scratching them.
He has scared the day lights out of me. I am too scared to even think of having a kid…no personal life, oodles of energy required to run after them, sleepless nights, untidy house (things lying all over the place) and constant crying. Himani says its all worth it…phew! I just think she has become a super mom without even realizing it.
I drew four cartoons today in off, had no work and guess I will get back to my craft and other hobbies soon. It is so relaxing and unwinds me completely. Ppl close to me please get ready to receive weird looking cards and stuff. Just a word of warning, you better appreciate whatever is presented cause I am sure to make it with lots of love and hard work.
Past one month has been hectic, crazy, back-breaking...working at a stretch for 17.30 hrs without breaks has crossed my every past record. I would have been a rocket scientist if I had studied so much in my school days. But know what, I don't regret it, I enjoyed every bit...actually that would be an unfair exaggeration, but the point is, I did enjoy myself. I liked creating the course, loved looking at the final product, had a great team and a good project manager (which is rare!!!). Hope I am not speaking too soon.
Lots of work meant less time at home and more opportunity to either make friends or lots of enemies in office. I made a few friends and one enemy. But I still don't feel close to anyone here, there is this strange vacuum and I don't feel good about it. I have got a bad habit of having grt friends around me. I miss all of them. When I am not working, I get into this self created shell and feel extremely lonely. I get hyper and lose my temper becoz there is nobody here who knows what is bothering me, who can calm me down. Lots of them to talk generally but nobody to share my feelings with. Guess I need a brk immediately…sigh!
Have decided to clean up my almirah this weekend, hopeful as ever! Got my hair coloured, globally, not very different from my natural hair colour, just added shine and slightly brown. Planning to get streaks done on my hair this weekend…hope she does a good job. A shoddy job with blonde highlights would be a nightmare, keeping my fingers crossed.
Yuv is finally going back to London. I am happy for him. He needs to get back there soon, this climate and the hard floor is not doing him any good. He keeps falling down and bumping his head, he's used to the carpeted floors and wooden walls. We are scared for him, he looked like a happy healthy kid a month back. He looks all dented and tired and cranky now. Funny for us maybe, he doesn’t know how to handle mosquito bites, he keeps scratching them.
He has scared the day lights out of me. I am too scared to even think of having a kid…no personal life, oodles of energy required to run after them, sleepless nights, untidy house (things lying all over the place) and constant crying. Himani says its all worth it…phew! I just think she has become a super mom without even realizing it.
I drew four cartoons today in off, had no work and guess I will get back to my craft and other hobbies soon. It is so relaxing and unwinds me completely. Ppl close to me please get ready to receive weird looking cards and stuff. Just a word of warning, you better appreciate whatever is presented cause I am sure to make it with lots of love and hard work.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
An addition to my blog
My second blog...looking forward for your comments :)
http://precious-shots.blogspot.com/
http://precious-shots.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
My trip to Mahabaleshwar
After much delay and research, we finally zeroed on to Mahabaleshwar. Both of us wanted a break, wanted to re-live the magic of Manali, the peaceful green terrains, snow capped mountains in the backdrop and a clean, pristine river flowing through the hill station.
We decided to chuck the idea of visiting Delhi in winters, though it’s a sight in itself. We wanted to dodge everybody and just relax.
Mahabaleshwar became our obvious choice because of various reasons - already a planned trip to Goa in Feb, Mahabaleshwar's proximity to Mumbai and a lot of stories about the hill station's beauty.
After a lot of research, we decided to opt for 'Valley View', one of the best (and costliest!!) resorts.
As we neared the place, I kept waiting to see something breathtakingly beautiful, something striking and peaceful and something which could stress the fact that Mahabaleshwar was a hill station!!
Both of us were very disappointed. There was nothing to talk about, very dry mountains, no streams that I had imagined, no place to sit undisturbed with your eyes closed, no cool breeze (except in the night) and no need to wear warm clothes. I loved the chappals, the mini-chappals, walnut chocolate fudge and strawberry cream though.
Our resort was a big disappointment too. I am next to being finicky when it comes to having clean toilets and bed sheets. And when you are paying an exorbitant price for it, I think you have a right to expect. Am sorry for the following disgusting explanation, but we had a WC with a 'sanitized' band around which wasn't even flushed! Yuck!! I have already apologized see.
The food was also pretty ordinary, the indoor swimming pool was also a disappointment. I hated the service and wanted to run out of that place. We went out searching for a good hotel. Sid likes everything to be planned weeks before, so the idea of canceling our reservation and checking out in another hotel all of a sudden, baffled him. But must say, he played along well, didn't protest much. We shifted to another hotel next morning, great rooms and good service at exactly half the price.
Went out sight-seeing, shopped some, cut short the trip and booked our tickets for Bombay for the very next day.
The journey was bad, very tiring and unnecessarily long. We opted for a Neeta Volvo instead of Raj Travels as we didn't want to wait till the afternoon for the bus. We took the first bus to Bombay. A word of advice here - never - as in never - go for anything except Raj travels busses if you have to visit Mahabaleshwar. They are very organized, have a fixed schedule and take the shortest route.
Our bus took exactly 10 hours instead of normal 6 hours. It went to all possible lanes of Pune, nearly called out people from their houses to board the bus. Ok, some exaggeration there, but I have every right to crib.
The whole plan to unwind went kaput. We were exhausted by the end of our trip. I am very sure we went at the wrong time to Mahabaleshwar, it can't be famous for nothing. I know it gets the second highest rainfall in India, so it has to be beautiful... just the wrong timing I sincerely hope.
P.S. The last paragraph was added to please my friends from Bombay who would obviously be blinded by the love for the place.
Planning to make another blog just for my photographs, will inform asap.
We decided to chuck the idea of visiting Delhi in winters, though it’s a sight in itself. We wanted to dodge everybody and just relax.
Mahabaleshwar became our obvious choice because of various reasons - already a planned trip to Goa in Feb, Mahabaleshwar's proximity to Mumbai and a lot of stories about the hill station's beauty.
After a lot of research, we decided to opt for 'Valley View', one of the best (and costliest!!) resorts.
As we neared the place, I kept waiting to see something breathtakingly beautiful, something striking and peaceful and something which could stress the fact that Mahabaleshwar was a hill station!!
Both of us were very disappointed. There was nothing to talk about, very dry mountains, no streams that I had imagined, no place to sit undisturbed with your eyes closed, no cool breeze (except in the night) and no need to wear warm clothes. I loved the chappals, the mini-chappals, walnut chocolate fudge and strawberry cream though.
Our resort was a big disappointment too. I am next to being finicky when it comes to having clean toilets and bed sheets. And when you are paying an exorbitant price for it, I think you have a right to expect. Am sorry for the following disgusting explanation, but we had a WC with a 'sanitized' band around which wasn't even flushed! Yuck!! I have already apologized see.
The food was also pretty ordinary, the indoor swimming pool was also a disappointment. I hated the service and wanted to run out of that place. We went out searching for a good hotel. Sid likes everything to be planned weeks before, so the idea of canceling our reservation and checking out in another hotel all of a sudden, baffled him. But must say, he played along well, didn't protest much. We shifted to another hotel next morning, great rooms and good service at exactly half the price.
Went out sight-seeing, shopped some, cut short the trip and booked our tickets for Bombay for the very next day.
The journey was bad, very tiring and unnecessarily long. We opted for a Neeta Volvo instead of Raj Travels as we didn't want to wait till the afternoon for the bus. We took the first bus to Bombay. A word of advice here - never - as in never - go for anything except Raj travels busses if you have to visit Mahabaleshwar. They are very organized, have a fixed schedule and take the shortest route.
Our bus took exactly 10 hours instead of normal 6 hours. It went to all possible lanes of Pune, nearly called out people from their houses to board the bus. Ok, some exaggeration there, but I have every right to crib.
The whole plan to unwind went kaput. We were exhausted by the end of our trip. I am very sure we went at the wrong time to Mahabaleshwar, it can't be famous for nothing. I know it gets the second highest rainfall in India, so it has to be beautiful... just the wrong timing I sincerely hope.
P.S. The last paragraph was added to please my friends from Bombay who would obviously be blinded by the love for the place.
Planning to make another blog just for my photographs, will inform asap.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Life nowadays...
Sid went to Singapore, found nothing great abt the place. He found it to be similar to Delhi. My sister as I mentioned in the previous post, compared Los Angeles to Gurgaon! Now I have no doubt abt the fact that I am surrounded by people who are over-obsessed with Delhi.
He loved the night safari and 4D theatre. A 4D theatre is a combination of a 3D movie with chair effects, leg ticklers, water sprinklers, lightning, fog, special smells and all. I for sure would not have enjoyed the experience, the idea of spiders crawling over my feet is certainly not my idea of fun...it's creepy and scary!
The entire site seeing of four days was combined with many rounds of shopping and I am proud of him for shopping alone for the first time in his life.I have done him proud too. I was alone at home for two consecutive nights. Though the lights were on and I read myself to sleep at 2 am on both the nights.
I have been discovering the complex near my office, thx to Ipshi. We just go out and explore the shops. I am falling in love with the place, apart from amazing food joints, there are n number shops with great clothes, many salons around (now I can catch up with my waxing and eye brows shaping - silly things that really matter) and ofcourse DMart for my grocery shopping. I wonder when I will get the time to work, side effects of having too many choices around i guess. :)
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